"Do not underestimate the Marines!"
Garp roared. The ice beneath his feet exploded. His entire body, like a cannonball leaving its barrel, charged toward the falling white light beam with unstoppable momentum.
"Mugen Genkotsu: Ryūseigun!"
Garp's fists turned into countless blurs. Each punch condensed the peak of Armament Haki and the will of a lifetime. They became a meteor shower of fists flowing upstream, slamming into the base of the light beam.
Almost simultaneously, the Great Buddha form of Sengoku raised both hands high above his head. Dazzling golden shockwaves gathered into a beam and shot out right behind Garp.
"Bukotsu Shōgeki: Saidairin!"
Whitebeard swung his naginata fiercely. A shockwave orb capable of tearing through space flew from his blade toward the sky. "Hakū!"
Golden Lion was also fast. With both swords slashing, countless giant golden slashes capable of cutting through warships wove into a net, cutting at the side of the light beam.
"Shishi: Sengireya!"
The attacks of these four top strong fighters all contained Conqueror's Haki. In an instant, they collided with the divine punishment falling from the sky.
"The Marine Hero, Garp!"
"The Great Strategist Fleet Admiral, Sengoku!"
"The Emperor Whitebeard, Newgate!"
"The legendary pirate, Golden Lion Shiki!"
On a nearby ice floe, Ivankov watched this scene, his mouth agape. "They blocked it?"
The huge energy light beam paused for a moment.
Ivankov watched the white light beam's trajectory being forcibly altered. His jaw nearly hit the ground.
Human strength could truly rival a weapon?
So these were the top strong fighters of the sea?
"They actually did it, fufufufufu."
Doflamingo stood at the edge of the broken ice. His expression behind his sunglasses shifted unpredictably. His fingers twitched involuntarily.
The World Government had actually used Uranus. And it was indiscriminate. They were trying to wipe out the Marines along with them.
What were they thinking?
What about maintaining the balance of the world?
If all the Marines died here, who would maintain the balance for you? The Celestial Dragons? Do not be ridiculous.
"Pops!"
On the Moby Dick, Marco watched that towering figure, speechless.
So these were the men who stood at the top?
"Hey, hey, are we going to survive?"
Among the Marines, a soldier watched this scene, deathly pale.
Human strength was powerless before a natural disaster. Only those called monsters had that capability.
"Hah. So what if it is a natural disaster? Do not underestimate us pirates!"
Luffy leaped up, a wild look on his face. "Gomu Gomu no Hakoku, Twentyfold Compression!"
On his compressed, extreme rubber giant fist entwined with black-red Conqueror's Haki lightning and leaping thunder-fire.
Luffy swung with all his might.
Crack.
Space seemed to shatter. At the base of the pure white light beam, a visible gap was opened.
Marine Admirals, Marine Hero and Fleet Admiral, plus legendary pirates.
This lineup would be invincible anywhere.
So what if it was an Ancient Weapon?
Sizzle!
Crimson lightning bloomed. The compressed fist collided with the white light beam.
The seemingly unstoppable natural disaster, still hundreds of meters above the sea, was forcibly dispersed by this upward force from below.
Boom, crash!
The scattered light beam did not disappear. It split into countless streams of light, scattering like a heavenly maiden tossing flowers toward the vast sea area around Impel Down.
Even so, it was still devastating.
Far more terrifying than Akainu's magma.
"D-Did we survive?"
In the Marine camp, a rear admiral who had not been knocked unconscious by the earlier Conqueror's Haki just breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the scattering light rain. Then his expression changed dramatically.
A scattered stream of light was falling toward his area.
"Haa!"
The rear admiral summoned his courage and swung his blade at the seemingly thin stream of light.
But the moment the blade and the light stream touched, his famed sword energy and Armament Haki melted away like snow. The light stream passed through his body without obstruction, then exploded behind him, instantly vaporizing a large area of ice and several Marines who could not dodge in time.
"Th-This is the gap?"
The rear admiral looked down blankly. A through-and-through wound had appeared in his chest. His vitality was rapidly fading.
Even dissipated energy could easily kill anyone below the level of Vice Admiral.
This was the chasm between ordinary strong fighters and monsters.
"Did we stop it? What terrifying people."
Whitebeard watched the dissipated energy in the sky gradually fading. He coughed heavily. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Continuous high-intensity fighting, plus that full-power attack just now, had triggered an overload warning in the World's Strongest Man's body.
"Very similar."
He looked at the two figures in the sky.
Garp, and Luffy, who was slowly shrinking back to normal size and gasping for breath.
Many years ago, at God Valley, it was also Garp, and another man wearing a straw hat.
They had once stood side by side against a similar enemy of god, for different reasons.
History really did repeat itself.
"Gurararara!"
Whitebeard suddenly burst into loud laughter. "I have to say, Garp, you have an enviable grandson!"
Garp curled his lips. He did not seem to agree, but the smile at the corner of his mouth could not be suppressed.
For something like this, you needed a guy like Whitebeard to say it for it to be satisfying.
Leaning on his naginata, Whitebeard readopted his fighting stance.
Though covered in wounds, his presence was undiminished. His gaze swept across the Marine officers with their varied expressions.
"So, Marine brats. The interlude is over. Do you want to continue our fight?"
"Do you think there is any room for negotiation, Whitebeard?"
Akainu's cold voice sounded. The killing intent in his eyes refocused. "No matter what happens, there can never be any compromise between the Marines and pirates. Justice will eradicate all evil."
"You sure have a nerve to say that, you cripple."
Luffy fell from the sky onto the ice near Whitebeard. Holding his slightly damaged straw hat, he stared at Akainu and mocked him without mercy. "Were you not already compromising just now? Gramps, are all you Marines this shameless?"
Garp landed from the sky not far from Luffy. Hearing his grandson's words, he rolled his eyes and blew his mustache, then burst out laughing. "Wahahaha! You little brat, your mouth is getting sharper!"
Even so, he did not deny Luffy's statement. This made many Marine officers look embarrassed.
Sengoku's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.
Not far away.
Facing an attack like that just now, Gunko had not been worried at all.
Because she and the other God's Knights were immortal. Even if it was a weapon, to them, it was just extremely powerful energy. As long as it was not power infused with Conqueror's Haki, they would not die.
But watching Luffy and Garp, some memories surfaced in her mind. Memories that did not belong to her.
What were those?
Instinctively, she wanted to explore them. Almost involuntarily, Gunko began to walk toward Luffy.
Suddenly, Gunko's footsteps stopped.
At the same time, a voice invaded the God's Knights' minds.
"What are you dawdling for?!"
Imu's anger could be felt even through his voice.
Killingham and Somaz stiffened, barely concealed fear on their faces.
"Killingham! Somaz! One God's Knight dead, one precious Mother Flame prototype wasted. I sent you here to do what?!"
Imu's voice sounded in their minds. "Mu has seen your incompetence."
The wrath of a god.
With nowhere to vent.
The targets that should have been eliminated were standing here unharmed. Did that not indirectly show that He had failed?
Gods did not fail.
Killingham and Somaz trembled in fear, almost prostrating themselves.
(The boss)/(Imu-sama) had personally projected his consciousness here?
Not far away, several newly released Level Six prisoners saw Gunko suddenly stop, her expression shifting, especially the terrifying glint and chaos that suddenly erupted from her eyes. They all felt a chill.
"Hey, why did that woman's expression suddenly become so terrifying?" one prisoner muttered.
Annoying.
The chattering of those little insects around her. A god would show no mercy.
"Mu will show you what the rule of a god means."
The next moment, centered on Gunko, black-red Conqueror's Haki erupted like an out-of-control volcano.
Lightning-like energy lashed the air and ice around her. The powerful spiritual blast caused some nearby pirates and Marines of weaker strength to faint again.
Then, a wave of terrifying Conqueror's Haki, more focused than anyone before, centered on Gunko, swept across the entire Impel Down sea area.
Almost instinctively.
Those who saw it, including Luffy, had huge black-red lightning flickering from their bodies.
He saw it.
They saw it.
Boom, crash!
Giant light beams appeared from all directions. Under Imu's Conqueror's Haki, Luffy and the others' Conqueror's Haki only expanded outward in front of them as a barrier.
Black-red lightning spread outward with the expanding shockwave.
Ice shattered.
The already split sky was once again shrouded in dark clouds. Lightning intertwined and merged.
On this battlefield, the various Conqueror's Haki users simultaneously resisted this overpowering force.
The mixed Conqueror's Haki surged outward.
Crash!
The weaker Marine elites, row after row, rolled their eyes back, foaming at the mouth, and collapsed like cut wheat.
On the warships within the encirclement, no one remained standing.
On the pirate side, among the Whitebeard Pirates' Grand Fleet, only the captains could still stand. Even among the battle-hardened commanders and crew of the Whitebeard Pirates themselves, more than half groaned and fell to their knees, clutching their heads in pain. Only a few could barely remain standing.
The battlefield was instantly mostly cleared.
Only the Marine officers, pirate officers, Warlords, and top escaped prisoners could still stay awake, watching in shock.
"Th-This Haki!"
Hancock clenched her fingers. She was also a Conqueror's Haki user, but she had never felt such powerful Haki.
It was on a completely different level.
But this was only the beginning.
Imu slowly raised his hand. A pitch-black trident wrapped with an ominous aura appeared in his hand.
He used the tip of the trident to draw in the air. Complex, ancient runic arrays instantly burned into the air, emitting a dark purple glow.
Hum.
In the center of the array, space twisted.
Two strangely shaped cannons slowly emerged from the void.
"What a nuisance."
Imu glanced over them and aimed the cannons at the densest areas where people were still conscious.
The next moment.
Boom. Boom.
Two dark purple energy spheres shot from the cannons.
The spheres fell into the crowds and exploded.
In an instant, flames shot up. Amid countless screams, Gunko's body spread black wings. A black tail appeared behind her.
This was the judgment of a god.
But even this was not enough to satisfy Imu.
Now that He had personally descended, every enemy present would fall.
"Killingham… is this all your strength amounts to?"
Imu's voice carried unmistakable displeasure.
Killingham's awakened fruit ability was a decent power, but Killingham had not used it to its proper effect here.
"N-No, boss!"
Killingham was scared out of his wits.
This was like going to work and having a superior show up for an inspection, especially when you had not done a very good job. Who would not be panicked?
He quickly shouted, "I still have a few nightmare marks left that I have not detonated! Once I give the signal, the nightmare caverns connected to the marks will fully open. An endless stream of nightmare creations will pour out!"
"They have no concept of death. As long as the dream does not end, they can revive infinitely!"
"Then bring them all."
Imu's voice brooked no argument. "You too, Somaz."
Somaz shuddered. "Yes, Imu-sama!"
"Now, order the Marines who can still move to kill Straw Hat Luffy."
Suddenly called out.
Luffy was a bit surprised.
So they were coming for me?
No, they were coming for me and for Nika.
Somaz saw Whitebeard and Golden Lion in the distance, covered in wounds but still full of fighting spirit. His eyes rolled, and he quickly added, "Imu-sama! Those two pirates could also serve as decent fighting power."
Imu glanced at Whitebeard and Golden Lion.
These two, along with Garp and Luffy, had just blocked one of Uranus's attacks.
Though they were not giants, they were also rare, powerful specimens.
"Whitebeard. Golden Lion."
Imu's voice directly sounded in the minds of these two legendary pirates, carrying an unyielding will. "Mu orders you to assist the Marines and kill Straw Hat."
Whitebeard was stunned for a moment. Then he burst into roaring laughter. "Gurararara! You God's Knights bastards, what kind of nonsense are you muttering?!"
Before he even finished speaking, the Murakumogiri in his hand, wrapped in the power of the Gura Gura no Mi, swung through the air toward Gunko's direction.
"Kūshin Zan!"
Space shattered. A terrifying shockwave tore through the atmosphere, arriving in an instant.
Imu's figure seemed not to move. The next moment, a pitch-black teleportation array appeared beneath him, easily avoiding Whitebeard's slash.
"A foolish act."
Imu raised his empty left hand. A cluster of dark purple flames lit in midair.
Within the flames, a grimoire emitting an ominous aura slowly emerged.
"Listen well, Whitebeard Edward Newgate."
Imu said coldly. "Your only task now is to assist the Marines and kill Straw Hat Luffy. This is a divine decree."
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes. His seasoned experience immediately brought many connections to mind.
His body did not feel unwell at the moment.
But this woman's command... was it some Devil Fruit ability? Or something else?
This scene reminded him of the demons Rocks had killed at God Valley. He had seen them too. The presence was very similar to this creature's.
Whitebeard remembered Rocks's final, crazed state.
The flames were now lit on Imu.
Not far away, Garp had been watching all this with a grim expression.
When Imu said the word "command" and the bizarre black flames appeared behind him, a startling light suddenly erupted in Garp's eyes.
Memories of God Valley.
A dark past he did not want to recall.
Roger's words from back then surfaced clearly again.
"Those black monsters, do you know about them, Garp? Justice itself would be wildered!"
"If you ever quit the Marines, come to my crew."
On that island beyond all common sense, what was justice supposed to be?
"Hey, Garp!" Sengoku shouted.
He saw Garp's suddenly changing expression. The ominous premonition in his heart reached its peak.
He knew his old comrade too well. Whenever Garp made that face, it meant he was about to do something with no regard for the consequences.
"Don't get involved in this, Garp!"
Sengoku's shout carried a rare note of panic.
Garp looked back at Sengoku. A smile suddenly appeared on his face, with a hint of ferocity at the corners of his mouth. "Hey, Sengoku. That woman is a big shot from the World Government, is she not?
Now that she is fighting Whitebeard, surely I, as a Marine, should go and provide support. Right?"
Support? Which side do you look like you are planning to support, you bastard!
Sengoku almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Seeing Garp's dark yet excited face, Sengoku shouted at the nearby Vice Admirals who could still move.
"What are you waiting for? Quickly! Stop Vice Admiral Garp!"
Several Vice Admirals steeled themselves and stepped forward, trying to stop Garp.
But Garp's body blurred, easily slipping past their obstruction like an eel. The ice beneath his feet exploded.
"Do not worry."
Garp's voice came with his blurring figure, carrying a chilling coldness. "I have experience dealing with this kind of pest."
He had far too much experience.
Whoosh.
The wind came. As it passed Luffy, it nearly blew his hat off.
He watched Garp suddenly explode with even greater momentum than when dealing with Uranus. He followed, grinning. "Hey, Gramps. This is quite rare."
They would actually be facing the same enemy.
If someone had told Luffy before that something like this would happen, Garp would have definitely scoffed and given him a Fist of Love.
But now.
The Marine Hero and the Fifth Emperor would join forces.
***
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